Carding machine for the treating of fibrous material etc.

ABSTRACT

This disclosure relates to a carding machine for the treatment of fibrous material, in particular spinning material, and includes at least one drum roll, a housing for the drum roll, means mounting the drum roll for rotation within the housing, and means between each axial end of the drum roll and the housing for creating air current flow in a direction radially outwardly from the drum roll axis whereby fibrous material is removed from therebetween and clogging is precluded.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,881,224

Wirth May 6, 1975 [54] CARDING MACHINE FOR THE TREATING 3,226,774 1/1966 Reitgrer 19/99 01? FIBROUS MATERIAL ETC. 3,376,610 4/1968 Williams 19/107 [75] Inventor: Walter Wirth, Dulmen, Germany FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 2,612 1876 United Kingdom 19/98 [73] Assgnee' g E Masfh'nenfabr'k 575,197 2/1946 United Kingdom 19/107 PPa'ate westphaha, 838,138 6/1960 United Kingdom 19/98 [22] Filed: Sept. 17, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 397,620

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 24, 1972 Germany 2252081 [52] US. Cl. 19/107 [51] Int. Cl D0lg 15/82 [58] Field of Search 19/107, 98, 99, 104

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 339,097 3/1886 Harmon 19/104 2,241,151 5/1941 Miller 19/98 X Germany Primary ExaminerDorsey Newton Attorney, Agent, or FirmDiller, Brown, Ramik & Wight [57] ABSTRACT This disclosure relates to a carding machine for the treatment of fibrous material, in particular spinning material, and includes at least one drum roll, a housing for the drum roll, means mounting the drum roll for rotation within the housing, and means between each axial end of the drum roll and the housing for creating air current flow in a direction radially outwardly from the drum roll axis whereby fibrous material is removed from therebetween and clogging is preeluded.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Pf-JENTEU @1915 saw 2 OF 4 PATENTEDHAY sizs 8 1,224

sum 3 or 4 PIKTENTED MAY 8 I975 SHEET u 0F 4 CARDING MACHINE FOR THE TREATING OF FIBROUS MATERIAL ETC.

The present invention is directed to a carding machine for processing fibrous material, particularly spinning material, and includes at least one drum roll.

In conventional carding machines fibrous flock material is disintegrated, registered and supplied as a pile to various rolls which are supported within a housing and particularly side walls of the latter. During the processing of such fibrous material, a relatively high degree of dust is created and there is the constant risk for such dust and/or the fibrous material to lodge between the side walls of the housing and various rolls of the carding machine, at times accumulating sufficiently to cause clogging or other such undesired operating conditions. Even if clogging does not result in machine stoppage, the material becomes agglomerated or knotted and if returned into the normal fibrous stream the uniformity thereof is undesirably effected.

It is a primary object of the present invention to preclude the accumulation of fibrous material outside the peripheral areas of rolls of a carding machine and to exclude troubles resulting from anysuch accumulation. The latter objective is achieved by providing Wind wheels, fans or the like between each axial end of one or more of the rolls of the carding machine and the housing thereof for creating air current flow in a direction radially outwardly from the roll axes and, if found necessary or desirable, further including suction devices to draw fibrous material from the air current flow.

Preferably, the wind wheels or wind elements are fan blades attached to axially opposite side faces of the various rolls of the carding machine, particularly a preroller and a drum roll of the machine. At axial ends of the rolls a circular section of the housing frame can be recessed or cut out adjacent the roll axis to provide an area for a suction housing. In this manner, it is possible for the radial outward air currents generated by the rotation of the rolls to be utilized with an optimum effect to achieve total radial expulsion augmented by suction or vacuum. In other words, the radially outwardly directed air current is additionally evacuated by suction funnels to assure total removal of all fibrous material outboard of peripheral edges of the various rolls involved. Preferably, the suction funnels are disposed adjacent lower peripheries of the rolls to draw fibrous material, dust, and the like outwardly from the gap between the roll sides and housing to an appropriate reservoir for subsequent recycling through the carding machine.

By virtue of providing the selected rolls with wind wheels, wind vanes, or the like the accumulation of fibrous material in gaps between sides of the housing and end walls of the rolls of the carding machine is precluded. As a result thereof, and augmented upon the use of downward suction through the suction funnels heretofore mentioned, the spaces or gaps between the housing and side faces of the rolls are kept free from fibrous material and the possibility of impairing the operation of the carding machine is eliminated.

In further accordance with this invention the suction funnels are preferably relatively flat funnel-shaped chambers having an opening disposed between the side faces of the rolls and the housing and are preferably connected to a central suction device i. e. an evacuation pump. Preferably the suction is of an under pressure of to 200 mm W8. (W5 water column) In accordance with a further embodiment of this invention. it is desirable to maintain the exodus of dust or fibrous material to a minimum and in order to do so suction devices are provided adjacent all drive rolls to assure the withdrawal of dust and fibrous material thereby precluding clogging of the drive system between the drive rolls and the various working rolls, such as the drum roll of the carding machine. In this manner, the entire internal area of the carding machine housing is under evacuation and clogging is rendered highly unlikely.

It is also to be recognized that there exists bights between adjacent rolls which could cause an accumulation of fibrous material and the disadvantages inherent therewith. In accordance with the present invention a suction device is provided at such bight areas by means of a tube or similar device which is longitudinally slit to provide an evacuation area extending the axial length of adjacent rolls. In this manner, the bight portions of the rolls are also assured of being maintained in clean condition by excess dust or fibrous material being withdrawn by suction through the slit tube.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view partially in cross section of the carding machine constructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrates wind vanes associated with a pre-roller and a drum roll, as well as suction devices at axially opposite ends thereof between side faces of the rolls and a housing of the carding machine.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the interior of the carding machine with certain portions removed for clarity, and illustrates the location of the suction devices or suction tunnels relative to the pre-roll and drum roll.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along line 111-111 of FIG. I, and illustrates the manner in which the drum roll carries wind vanes and the relationship thereof to a suction device.

FIG. 4 illustrates another carding machine constructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrates the same embodying rigid housing cover segments.

Reference is first made to FIG. 1 of the drawing which illustrates a roll carding machine 1 having two preliminary rolls 3 and 4 which precede a pre-roller 2. The pre-roller 2 is followed by rolls 5, 6 and 7 with rolls 6 and 7 being not only operating rolls but drive or turning rolls for roll pairs 9 and 10 cooperating with a drum roll 8. The roll pairs 9, 10 are preferably disposed above the upper periphery of the drum roll 8 and upstream of the last roll pair 9, 10 is a pick-up roll 11 from which fibrous pile is removed. Preferably, all the lattermentioned rolls are supported in lateral support or side frames I2, 13 and the overall roll arrangement is covered by a cover or housing 14.

In order to avoid the accumulation of dust, fibrous material or the like between the side frames 12, 13 and the various rolls, particularly the pre-roller 2 and the drum roll 8, there is arranged at each side face (unnumbered) of the pre-roller 2 and the drum roll 8 at least one wind wheel or vane 15, 16 which in effect is simply a fan blade carried by the rolls 2, 8. The wind vanes may consist of angle iron and upon rotation with the rolls 2, 8 the air current established thereby conveys material from the gap between the end faces of the rolls and the frames 12, 13 radially outward for eventual suction pick-up and removal, as will be described more fully hereinafterv Preferably, the rolls 2, 8 carry four to eight wind vanes or blades and in addition to directing the air currents radially outwardly, in further accordance with this invention suction devices 17 and 18 are provided to withdraw dust, fibrous material and the like carried by the radial air currents. The suction devices 17, 18 are relatively flat funnel-shaped chambers 19, 20 (FIGS. 1 and 2) to which are connected respective pipes 21 and 22 in turn connected to a central suction device, such as an evacuation pump. Thus the wind vanes 15, 16 alone, or in combination with the suction devices 19, 20, assure that material will not collect between the frames 12, 13 and the various rolls involved, particularly the pre-roller 2 and the drum roll 8.

The suction devices 17 and 18 are identically constructed, and therefore only the suction device 18 will be described more specifically in detail. The suction device 18 includes, as heretofore noted, a flat funnelshaped chamber 20 having an outer generally triangular shaped wall 20a, as viewed in elevation, terminating in an upper edge 2012 which is in chordal relationship to the roll 8. An inner wall 200 is spaced from the wall 201! a distance slightly greater than the axially projecting dimension of the vanes 16, and the wall 20c terminates in an upper edge 20d which is arcuate and contoured generally to the circumference of the outer periphery of the roll 8, as is readily apparent in FIG. 1. Due to this construction the vanes 16 freely pass in a sweeping manner across the inlet of each of the suction devices 17, 18 during the rotation of the respective rolls 2, 8.

In further keeping with this invention, the removal of dust or like fibrous material which is created due to the relatively high rotational speed of the rolls involved is further eliminated by the provision of suction devices 23, 24, and 26 located in areas between the various rolls adjacent the cover 14. As an example, the suction device 24 is located between the roll 7 and the adjacent roll 9 and will draw from the area therebetween any material which is thrown from the periphery of the drum roll 8 by virtue of the centrifugal force caused by its rotation. Likewise, the suction devices 25 and 26 produce the same effect as does the suction device 23 in the area of the rolls 2 through 5. Therefore, no dust will accumulate between the overall housing 14 of the carding machine 1 and the various rolls 2 through 10 associated therewith.

An area 27 constitutes a bight portion between the drum roll 8 and the pick-up roll 11, and at axial ends of these rolls there is possibility of dust or fibrous material agglomeration. In order to avoid the latter, and the problems earlier alluded to a pipe or tube 28 having a longitudinal slot is positioned in the bight area between the rolls 8 and 11. A pipe 29 joined to the tube 28 is connected to the evacuation source and accordingly any material in the bight area between the rolls 8, 11 is effectively withdrawn therefrom.

If desired or found necessary the pre-roll 2 and the drum roll 8 may be provided with an apertured periphery placed in fluid communication with a marginal or low evacuation system to maintain the fibrous material drawn to the surfaces of the rolls 2, 8.

Reference is now made to FIG. 4 which illustrates a single-drum carding machine provided with four rigid cover segments 30, 31, 32 and 33. Additional movable cover segments may be provided if found necessary or desirable. A drum 8A is followed by a pick-up roll 11A and is preceded by a breaker roll 2A provided with a suction cover 12A having a lateral exhaust port (unnumbered). The drum 8A is provided rigid segments 36, 37, 38 and 39 for carding the fibrous material. One wind wheel or wind vane 34 having eight fan vanes is positioned at axially opposite ends of the drum to generate a radially outwardly directed current of air. The radially outwardly directed flowing air current is evacuated by a suction device 20A through a conduit 22A coupled to a suitable evacuation system, such as a vacuum pump. The wind wheel 34 at each axially opposite end of the drum 8A may be fitted with an arcuate or circular cover plate 34B. An opening 40 is provided in the frame wall of the housing for the introduction of air in order that the same may be circulated radially outwardly by the wind vanes 34.

While preferred forms and arrangements of parts have been shown in illustrating the invention, it is to be clearly understood that various changes in details and arrangement of parts may be made without departin from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

What is claimed is:

1. A carding machine for treating fibrous material or the like comprising at least one drum roll, a housing for said drum roll, means mounting said drum roll for rotation about a generally horizontal axis within said housing, said drum roll having a circumferential surface and axially opposite faces, vane means continguous said faces rotatable to direct currents radially outwardly relative to said axis, and funnel 8 shaped suction means projecting radially inwardly between the housing and each face of the drum roll beyond said circumferential surface and beyond the maximum diameter of the path of rotation established by said vane means for evacuating the area outboard of said faces during the rotation of said drum roll.

2. The carding machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said suction means is a flat generally triangularly shaped chamber having an outlet near an apex thereof and an elongated inlet opposite said apex.

3. The carding machine as defined in claim 2 wherein said elongated inlet is in generally chordal relationship to said faces.

4. The carding machine as defined in claim 2 wherein said elongated inlet is positioned to rotatably receive therethrough said vane means upon the rotation of said drum roll.

5. The carding machine as defined in claim 3 wherein said elongated inlet is positioned to rotatably receive therethrough said vane means upon the rotation of said drum roll. 

1. A carding machine for treating fibrous material or the like comprising at least one drum roll, a housing for said drum roll, means mounting said drum roll for rotation about a generally horizontal axis within said housing, said drum roll having a circumferential surface and axially opposite faces, vane means continguous said faces rotatable to direct currents radially outwardly relative to said axis, and funnel 8 shaped suction means projecting radially inwardly between the housing and each face of the drum roll beyond said circumferential surface and beyond the maximum diameter of the path of rotation established by said vane means for evacuating the area outboard of said faces during the rotation of said drum roll.
 2. The carding machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said suction means is a flat generally triangularly shaped chamber having an outlet near an apex thereof and an elongated inlet opposite said apex.
 3. The carding machine as defined in claim 2 wherein said elongated inlet is in generally chordal relationship to said faces.
 4. The carding machine as defined in claim 2 wherein said elongated inlet is positioned to rotatably receive therethrough said vane means upon the rotation of said drum roll.
 5. The carding machine as defined in claim 3 wherein said elongated inlet is positioned to rotatably receive therethrough said vane means upon the rotation of said drum roll. 